§2208 National Fire Data Center

Summary

The Administrator must run a National Fire Data Center, directly or by using contracts or grants, to collect, study, publish, and share information about fires and how to prevent and fight them. The Center must give a clear nationwide picture of fire problems, point out major trouble spots, help set priorities, find possible solutions, and track progress in reducing fire losses. To do that, it collects data on how often fires happen, their causes, how they spread and are put out, injuries and deaths (with as much detail as available), property loss, firefighter hazards and causes of firefighter injuries and deaths (including doctor-treated injuries, deaths during fitness tests or preparation, vehicle accidents, and aircraft crashes), all types of firefighting work and inspections, building and material fire properties, fire prevention systems used in other countries, forest and other special fire types, and any other useful fire information. The Administrator can create standard reporting methods, help federal, state, local, and private groups collect and report data, and use existing public and private research groups, including the Center for Firefighter Injury Research and Safety Trends. The Center must share its data and analysis widely with governments, businesses, and the public. The National Fire Incident Reporting System must be updated so information is available and can be updated on the Internet in real time. Any medical data the Center handles must follow the privacy rules under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. 1320d–2 note; Public Law 104–191) and other applicable rules, including parts 160, 162, and 164 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on March 12, 2019).